Applying for
Financial Aid
2011-2012
1
Sponsors/Partners:
Presenter:
2
Types of Financial Aid
• Gift Aid - Grants or
•
•
scholarships that do not
need to be repaid
Work - Money earned by
the student as payment for
a job on or off campus
Loans - Borrowed money
to be paid back, usually
with interest
3
Sources of Financial Aid
•
Federal government
•
State government
•
•
Colleges and universities
Private agencies,
companies, foundations,
and your parents’
employers
4
Types of Applications
 FAFSA
 CSS/Financial Aid PROFILE
 Institutional financial aid
application
Deadlines and requirements vary by
institution
5
FAFSA on the Web
•
Internet application used by
students and parents to
complete electronic FAFSA at
www.fafsa.gov
•
Sophisticated on-line edits and
skip logic so that errors are
less likely to be made
•
On-line help is available for
each question
•
Student and at least one
custodial parent should get a
federal PIN at
www.pin.ed.gov
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FAFSA on the Web Password
 Before starting the on-line FAFSA you will be asked
to create a password
 This allows you to save your application and return
to it at a later time
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Federal PIN
• PIN (Personal Identification
Number) serves as the electronic
signature on ED documents
• Both student and at least one
custodial parent need PIN to
sign the FAFSA electronically
• May be used to:
• Correct/Update FAFSA
• Add additional schools to receive
FAFSA data
• Needed each year the student
completes the FAFSA
Apply for student
and parent PINs at
www.pin.ed.gov
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Getting Ready
•
Before starting the FAFSA, gather:
• Student driver’s license
• Student Alien Registration Card
• Student and Parent
Social Security cards
2010 W-2 Forms and other records of money earned
2010 federal income tax form (even if not completed)
Records of untaxed income
Current bank statements
Business, farm, and other real estate records
Records of stocks, bonds, and other investments
Create a file for copies of all financial aid documents submitted
9
FAFSA on the Web Worksheet
Used to collect
information for the online application
Does not include all
questions from the
FAFSA
Do not mail this
worksheet
10
The FAFSA on the Web Worksheet
A Four Section Form
Section 1 – Student information
Section 2 – Student dependency
status
Section 3 – Parent financial
information for dependent
students
Section 4 – Student financial
information
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Section 1
(page 2)
STUDENT INFORMATION
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Section 1
Student Name
J O N E S
J A N E
 The online FAFSA will ask for the student’s

last name, first name, and middle initial
Make sure to report the student’s name
exactly as it appears on the student’s Social
Security card
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Section 1
Student Social Security Number
1 2 3 - 4 5 - 6 7 8 9
Double check the student’s Social Security Number
when entering it on the FOTW. Both student name and
Social Security Number will be compared through a
national database match
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Section 1
Citizenship Status
 If U.S. citizen, status will be confirmed by
Security match
Social
 If eligible noncitizen, status will be confirmed by
Department of Homeland Security (DHS) match. This
includes:




U.S. permanent residents with I-551
Conditional permanent residents with I-551C
Eligible noncitizens with I-94
Certification from Department of Health and Human Services
with designation of “Victim of human trafficking”
 If neither a citizen or eligible noncitizen, the student is
ineligible for federal/state aid, but might still be eligible
for institutional funds
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Section 1
Alien Registration Number
9 8 7 6 54 3 2 1
If an eligible noncitizen, write in the student’s eight- or
nine-digit Alien Registration Number (ARN)

Precede an eight-digit ARN with a zero

Copy of Permanent Registration Card might be
requested by the Financial Aid Office
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Section 1
Undocumented Students
NOTE: if the student is undocumented or
under-documented




Check with colleges and universities to see if institutional
financial aid is available
Apply for all private scholarships for which the student
may be eligible
Watch for changes in federal and state laws regarding the
eligibility of undocumented or under-documented students
Start inquiring in elementary, middle or high school to see
if it is possible for younger students to become permanent
residents
For more information and a list of scholarships, go to
www.maldef.org/pdf/scholarships.pdf
www.latinocollegedollars.org
www.finaid.org/otheraid/undocumented.phtml
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Section 1
Student Marital Status


The student should check his or her marital
status as of the date the FAFSA on the Web is
completed
If the student is married or remarried, he or
she will be asked to provide information about
his or her spouse
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Section 1
Selective Service Registration

Male students who are between the ages of 18 and 25
years of age must be registered with Selective Service
to receive federal and state aid

Answer “Register me” only if the student is male, aged
18-25, and has not yet registered.

The student may also register by going to:
www.sss.gov
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Section 1
Student Aid Eligibility Drug Convictions



If the student has never attended college since high
school, check “Never attended college”
If the student has attended college since high
school but never received federal student grants,
loans or work-study, check
“I have never received federal student aid”
If the student has received federal student aid and
has never had a drug conviction, check
“I have never had a drug conviction”
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Section 1
Student Aid Eligibility Drug Convictions
 If the student was convicted of the

possession or sale of illegal drugs while
receiving federal student aid, the
student will be asked to complete more
questions about the drug offense
Simply having a drug conviction does
not mean that the student will be
ineligible for federal student and/or state
student aid
21
Section 1
Parents’ Educational Level
Indicate highest level of schooling completed
by the student's biological or adoptive
parents
Use birth parents or adoptive parents - not
stepparents or foster parents
 This definition of parents is unique to these
two questions
22
Section 1
Student State of Legal Residence
An important question NOT on the Worksheet:
Student State of Legal Residence
 Residency relates to the student’s permanent
home state
 if the student is dependent, the state of legal residence is
usually the state in which the custodial parent(s) live
 State of legal residence is also used
 to determine eligibility for state grants
 in the need calculation to determine the appropriate
allowance for state and other taxes paid
by that state’s residents
23
Section 1
High School Completion Status
An important question NOT on the Worksheet:
High School Completion Status
When the student begins college in
the 2011-2012 school year, what will
be the student’s high school
completion status?
High school diploma
GED certificate
Home schooled
None of the above
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Section 1
High School Completion Status
An important question NOT on the Worksheet:
 If student selects High School diploma
they will be required to list the high
school they received or will receive
diploma from
 FAFSA on the Web allows students to
search for high school by name, city
and state
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Section 1
Grade Level in 2011-2012
An important question NOT on the Worksheet:
Grade Level in 2011-2012
When the student begins the 2011-2012
school year, what will be his/her grade
level?
Never attended college/1st year
Attended college before/1st year
2nd year/sophomore
3rd year/junior
4th year/senior
5th year/other undergraduate
1st year graduate/professional
Continuing graduate/professional or beyond
26
Section 1
Degree or Certificate Objective
An important question NOT on the Worksheet:
Degree or Certificate
In the 2011-2012 school year, what
degree or certificate will you, the
student, be working on?
Some options are:
 - 1st bachelor’s degree
 - Associate degree (occupational or
technical program)
 - Associate degree (general
education or transfer program)
 - Graduate or professional degree
27
Section 1
Interest in Receiving Work-study
An important question NOT on the Worksheet:
FAFSA on the Web asks If the student is
interested in being considered for workstudy
 Indicating interest does not obligate the student
to work nor will it cause the student to lose grants
and scholarships
 Answering “no” may restrict the students
opportunity to utilize work-study
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Section 1
School Selection
An important question NOT on the Worksheet:
FAFSA on the Web allows the student to list up
to 10 colleges/universities that will receive
his/her student and parent information
 list all schools where student is applying for
admission
 If school code is not known you may search by
city, state or college name
• If the student is applying to more than ten
colleges, wait for the processed Student Aid Report
(SAR) before deleting/adding additional colleges
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Section 2
(page 2)
STUDENT DEPENDENCY
STATUS
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Section 2
Determination of Student Dependency Status
To be considered independent the student
must meet one of the following criteria
 24 or older
 Married
 Graduate Student
 Serving on active duty in U.S. Armed Forces
 Veteran of U.S. Armed Forces
 Have children or dependents who receive more
than half of their support
 In foster care, dependent or ward of the course or
parents were deceased any time after age 13
 Emancipated minor
 In legal guardianship
 Homeless, risk of being homeless, or
unaccompanied youth
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Section 3
(page 3)
PARENT
INFORMATION
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Section 3
Who is Considered a Parent
See instructions on page 3 of
FAFSA on the Web Worksheet
 Biological or adoptive parent(s)
 Stepparent (regardless of any
prenuptial agreement)
 In case of divorce or separation,
provide information about the
parent and/or stepparent the
student lived with more in the
last 12 months
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Section 3
Who is Not a Parent
 Do not provide information on:
 Foster parents or legal guardians
 If the student is in foster care or has a legal
guardian, he/she is automatically
considered an independent student
 Grandparents or other relatives
 The student must attempt to get
biological parental information
 Colleges may use Professional Judgment to
allow the student to file as independent
34
Section 3
Parents’ Tax Return Filing Status for
2010
 The student will be asked to provide information
about parent tax filing status for 2010:
 If his/her parents have completed their 2010 federal
income tax return, mark the first box
 If they have not as yet filed, but plan to file a 2010
federal income tax return, mark the second box
 If they have not, nor will not, file a 2010 federal income
tax return and are not required to do so, mark the third
box
35
Section 3
Parent 2010 Adjusted Gross Income


If the student’s parents have not yet filed their
2010 federal tax return, use estimated
information for this question
If the student’s parents have completed their
2010 federal tax return, use actual 2010 tax
return information to complete this item.
Reminder: If the answer is zero or the question
does not apply, enter 0
36
Section 3
Money Earned from Work by Parent(s)
in 2010
Use W-2 forms and other records to list all income
earned from work in 2010 (including business
income earned from self-employment) for
father/stepfather and/or mother/stepmother
37
Section 3
Dislocated Worker
• The student will be asked to check if the father/stepfather
and/or mother/stepmother is a dislocated worker
• A person may be considered a dislocated worker if he/she:
• is receiving unemployment benefits due to being laid off or
losing a job and is unlikely to return to a previous occupation
• has been laid off or received a lay-off notice from a job
• was self-employed but is now unemployed due to economic
conditions or natural disaster
• is a displaced homemaker
38
Section 3
Parent 2010 U.S. Income Taxes
An important question NOT on the Worksheet:
 What was the amount parents’ U.S. income tax
for 2010?
 Found on federal tax return
 Not the amount withheld from parents’ paychecks
39
Section 3
Parents’ 2010 Tax Exemptions
An important question NOT on the Worksheet:
• Enter the parents’ tax exemptions for 2010
Exemptions can be found on their IRS tax
return
 Be sure to include all persons being claimed on the
parents’ 2010 federal tax return, regardless of
whether they are included in the parents’ household
size question
40
Section 3
IRS Data Retrieval Tool
 While completing online FAFSA applicant





may submit real-time request to IRS for tax
data
If successful match is made, IRS federal tax
information will be displayed
Applicant chooses whether or not to transfer
tax data to online FAFSA
Participation is voluntary
Available January 30th
Available for FAFSA corrections
41
Section 3
Parents’ Household 2009 or 2010
Benefits Received
 Indicate if the student, his/her parents, or
anyone in the parents’ household received
benefits in 2009 or 2010 from any of the federal
programs listed
 Actual amounts received are not reported
42
Section 3
2010 Parent’s Additional Financial Information
 Check all items received or paid in 2010
 FAFSA on the Web will ask for amounts
received/paid
43
Section 3
2010 Parent Untaxed Income
 Check all that apply in 2010
 FAFSA on the Web will ask for amounts
received
44
Section 3
Parent Assets
Parents may be asked to report
their assets. If so:

List the net value of parents’ assets
as of the day the FAFSA is signed

If net worth is one million
dollars or more, enter

$999,999
If net worth is zero, enter 0
$
,
0
NOTE: Some financial aid offices may request
supporting documentation for the answers to these
questions
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Section 3
Parent Assets
Parents may be asked to report:
Current balances of cash, savings and
checking accounts
Net valued of investments such as real estate,
rental properties, money market and mutual
funds, stocks, bonds and other securities
Net value of businesses and investment farms
Note: Do not include the value of your primary
residence, the value of life insurance, retirement
accounts and small family businesses as
described in the FAFSA instructions.
46
Section 3
Parent E-Mail Address
An important question NOT on the Worksheet:
Provide a parent e-mail address that will be
valid at least until the student starts
college
 If a parent provides an e-mail address, the
FAFSA processor will let the parent know the
student’s FAFSA has been processed
47
Section 3
Parent Household Size
An important question NOT on the Worksheet:
Parent Number in Household
 Include in the parents’ household:
 The student
 Parent(s)
 Parents’ other dependent children, if
the parents provide more than half their
support or the children could answer “no” to every
question in Section 2, regardless of where they live
 Other people, if they now live with the parents and
will continue to do so from 7/1/11 through 6/30/12,
and if the parents provide more than half their
support now, and will continue to provide support
from 7/1/11 through 6/30/12
48
Section 3
College Students in the Parent Household
An important question NOT on the Worksheet:
College Students in the Parent Household



Always include the student even if he/she will attend
college less than half-time in 2011-2012
Include other household members only if they will
attend at least half-time in 2011-2012 in a program
that leads to a college degree or certificate
Do not include the parents
NOTE: Some financial aid offices will require proof
that other family members are attending college
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Section 4
(page 4)
STUDENT INFORMATION
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Section 4
Student Information
•
Questions in Section 4 are identical
to the parent financial questions we
covered in Section 3

If the student is single, ignore
references to “spouse”

If the student is married, report
spouse’s income and assets

Skip the student’s adjusted gross
income question if the student is not
required to file taxes
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Section 4
Student Information
There are questions in
Section 4 that the student
will be asked only if he/she
checked at least one
response in Section 2 –
Student Dependency Status
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Section 4
Student Benefits
 Indicate if anyone in the student’s household
received benefits in 2009 or 2010 from any of
the federal programs listed
 Actual amounts received are not reported
53
Section 34
Student Household Size
An important question NOT on the Worksheet:
•
Include in the student’s household:
• The student and the student’s spouse (if married)
• The student’s dependent children, if
the student provides more than half their
support
• Other people, if they now live with the student and
will continue to do so from 7/1/11 through 6/30/12,
and if the student provides more than half their
support now, and will continue to provide support
from 7/1/11 through 6/30/12
54
Section 4
Student Number in College
An important question NOT on the Worksheet:
•
Count the student even if he/she will
attend college less that half-time in
2011-2012
•
Include others only if they will attend at
least half-time in 2011-2012 in a program
that leads to a college degree or
certificate
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Special Circumstances
Contact the Financial Aid Office if there
are circumstances which affect a family’s
ability to pay for college such as:
•
•
•
•
•
•
Loss or reduction in parent or student income or
assets
Death or serious illness
Natural disasters affecting parent
income or assets
Unusual medical or dental expenses
not covered by insurance
Reduction in child support or other untaxed
benefits
Financial responsibility for elderly grandparents
Or any other unusual circumstances that
affect a family’s ability to contribute to
higher education
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What Happens Next?
FAFSA information is sent to colleges listed on the
application and Students receive Student Aid Report
(SAR) from federal processor

Students and families review SAR for important
information and accuracy of data

Colleges match admission records with financial aid
applications and determine aid eligibility

Colleges mail notices of financial aid eligibility to
admitted students who have completed all required
financial aid forms
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Student Aid Report (SAR)
•
•
•
After the student completes the
FAFSA on the Web, a SAR will be
sent to the student
• An electronic SAR Acknowledgment
will be sent if student provides an
email address
• A paper SAR will be mailed if no
student e-mail address is provided
An electronic copy of the data will
be sent to each college or
university listed by the student in
Section 1
Keep a copy of the SAR with other
financial aid documents
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Summary of the
Financial Aid Process
•
•
•
•
•
•
Submit all required forms, including the
FAFSA, by each college’s published
deadlines
Keep a copy of all forms submitted
Review the electronic Student Aid
Report (SAR) Acknowledgement or the
paper SAR sent to the student
Watch for financial aid award
notifications from colleges to which the
student has been admitted
Be sure to apply for financial aid this
year and every year as soon as possible
after January 1 to receive the best
financial aid award possible
ASK QUESTIONS!
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Questions
and Answers
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